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Montreal Synagogue Targeted Again by Gunfire · Antisemitism Watch

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  Speaker 1: You're listening to Antisemitism Watch. I'm Rachel Adler. We're also
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  Speaker 1: launching Antisemitism Watch. Mid-Atlantic, providing focused coverage from New York,
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  Speaker 1: New Jersey, Connecticut, and the Philadelphia region. Find out more
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  Speaker 1: at clockworkmedia.org. We begin with a report from Montreal, where
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  Speaker 1: police are investigating pellet gunfire that damaged Temple Immanuel Beth Shalom,
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  Speaker 1: one of Canada's oldest reform synagogues. Haaretz.com reports no one
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  Speaker 1: was wounded. but this marks the third time the synagogue
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  Speaker 1: has been targeted in the past two years. In response,
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  Speaker 1: Israel commented, accusing Ottawa of fuelling an anti-Israel climate behind
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  Speaker 1: an appalling surge of antisemitism. On a university campus, a
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  Speaker 1: violent incident occurred at the University of Michigan, where a student,
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  Speaker 1: identified by Stop Antisemitism as Temulon Tagachag, allegedly attacked Jewish
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  Speaker 1: MAGA activist Liz Ben-Ishu. According to reporting from PJ Media
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  Speaker 1: and Fox News, Tagachog tackled and kicked Benishu while screaming threats,
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  Speaker 1: with one report quoting the attacker saying, I should have
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  Speaker 1: killed you when I had the chance. Benishu shared her
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  Speaker 1: first-hand account of the altercation, describing the broader rise of
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  Speaker 1: antisemitism and hostility facing Jewish students nationwide. In Canada, university
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  Speaker 1: presidents have convened to establish a coordinated five-point action plan
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  Speaker 1: aimed at addressing antisemitism and safeguarding Jewish students, faculty, and staff.
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  Speaker 1: As reported by jpost.com, this initiative follows the Federal Campus
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  Speaker 1: Antisemitism and Student Experiences, or CASE, report, which detailed a
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  Speaker 1: sharp escalation of antisemitism on post-secondary campuses. That report found
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  Speaker 1: Jewish students face severe climate challenges and hostility, noting that
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  Speaker 1: Jewish Canadians comprised 68% of reported religiously motivated hate crimes
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  Speaker 1: in 2024. The new plan will focus on convening leaders,
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  Speaker 1: sharing effective practices, and strengthening collaboration with government and community partners.
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  Speaker 1: Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture Mark Miller affirmed federal support,
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  Speaker 1: and the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, along with
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  Speaker 1: Jewish federations across Canada, welcomed the action plan as an
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  Speaker 1: important step. In the United Kingdom, sweeping measures are being
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  Speaker 1: adopted to combat antisemitism in English schools. following a government-commissioned
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  Speaker 1: review that found three in five Jewish students reported experiencing antisemitism.
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  Speaker 1: The Jewish Chronicle reports that the review classified antisemitism as
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  Speaker 1: a safeguarding issue, placing it under legal child protection duties
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  Speaker 1: for schools and requiring inspectors to evaluate how children are protected.
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  Speaker 1: As detailed by JewishPressStampa.com, the government has accepted recommendations including
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  Speaker 1: dedicated training for staff and encourages schools. to adopt the
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  Speaker 1: IHRA working definition of antisemitism. However, the National Education Union,
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  Speaker 1: the largest teacher's union, expressed concerns, arguing the IHRA definition risks,
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  Speaker 1: blurring the line between antisemitism and legitimate criticism of the
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  Speaker 1: Israeli government. The Board of Deputies of British Jews, meanwhile,
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  Speaker 1: celebrated the report and the government's adopted measures. Turning to
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  Speaker 1: institutional responses, a new U.S. House committee report offers significant
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  Speaker 1: new evidence corroborating concerns about antisemitism within the American Psychological Association,
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  Speaker 1: or APA. The Brandeis Center reports the committee's findings detail
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  Speaker 1: how APA leaders handled complaints of antisemitism, opposed recognizing the
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  Speaker 1: Association of Jewish Psychologists, and managed individuals whose conduct generated
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  Speaker 1: antisemitism-related complaints. These developments come as the U.S. Department of
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  Speaker 1: Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights, continues its
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  Speaker 1: investigation into alleged antisemitic discrimination within the APA, following a
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  Speaker 1: Brandeis Center complaint. Kenneth L. Marcus, chairman and CEO of
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  Speaker 1: the Brandeis Center, called the findings serious institutional failures that
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  Speaker 1: demand meaningful reform. In Australia, the country's special envoy to
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  Speaker 1: combat Jew hatred, Gillian Segal, reports that modern, progressive antisemitism
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  Speaker 1: is the most prevalent form according to ClevelandJewishNews.com. Segel stated
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  Speaker 1: that while other forms persist, this strain targets Jewish Australians
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  Speaker 1: within institutions by blaming them for the actions of the
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  Speaker 1: Israeli government, causing significant anxiety and exclusion. She calls for
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  Speaker 1: a whole-of-society approach, recommending that universities adopt the IHRA definition
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  Speaker 1: and schools utilize UNESCO programs. The Envoy's report also proposes
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  Speaker 1: a National Healthcare Antisemitism Task Force, and enforceable public funding
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  Speaker 1: conditions to prevent grants from promoting Jew hatred, noting that
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  Speaker 1: what was once extreme can become familiar, acceptable, and fashionably progressive.
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  Speaker 1: The political landscape in Michigan's Senate race highlights significant divisions
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  Speaker 1: among Jewish voters concerning Democratic candidate Abdel El-Said. Newsweek reports
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  Speaker 1: that some Jewish Democrats are weighing El-Said's rhetoric and response
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  Speaker 1: to incidents like the attack on Temple Israel Synagogue, against
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  Speaker 1: their opposition to the Republican platform, with some feeling politically
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  Speaker 1: homeless due to perceived hostility in progressive circles. Democratic Representative
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  Speaker 1: Haley Stevens notably endorsed El-Sayed's opponent, Mike Rogers. JPost.com reports
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  Speaker 1: that 250 rabbis, organized as Non-Negotiable Michigan, publicly urged El-Sayed
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  Speaker 1: to voice support for Jewish statehood in Israel and the
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  Speaker 1: safety of Zionist Jews, a demand that went unmet. Additionally,
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  Speaker 1: YouTube content cited by Greg Sheridan accuses El-Sayed of promoting,
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  Speaker 1: Jew-hating conspiracy stuff. Adding to the controversy, NationalReview.com reported the
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  Speaker 1: indictment of a former El-Sayed campaign staffer, along with others,
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  Speaker 1: for antisemitic threats and vandalism. In UK politics, the Labour
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  Speaker 1: Party has ended 11 coalition deals with the Green Party
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  Speaker 1: following an antisemitism row, The Telegraph reports. The decision was
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  Speaker 1: made after Green councillors reportedly refused to distance themselves from
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  Speaker 1: the issue. Internationally, Israeli researchers have exposed anti-Semitism and religious
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  Speaker 1: extremism within Syrian textbooks, noting a broad ideological transformation of
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  Speaker 1: the curriculum, according to Unitnews.com. In case outcomes, the Crown
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  Speaker 1: Prosecution Service in the UK has decided not to charge
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  Speaker 1: the creator of a video described as a Jew-trap. a
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  Speaker 1: decision relevant to ongoing concerns about the harassment of Jews,
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  Speaker 1: according to jewishnews.co.uk. I'm Rachel Adler, thank you for listening
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  Speaker 1: to Antisemitism Watch. For focused coverage from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut,
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  Speaker 1: and the Philadelphia region, listen to Antisemitism Watch, midatlantic at clockworkmedia.org.ma.
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  Speaker 1: Follow Antisemitism Watch in your podcast app so you don't
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  Speaker 1: miss the next update. This report was generated with AI assistance,
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  Speaker 1: and may contain inaccuracies. Please verify important details with primary sources.